[music] - Tempus Projects has a pretty multifaceted approach to what we do here in Tampa.

We function primarily as an exhibition space, but we also have a very busy schedule of an artist in residence program.

We also host workshops with those artists-in-residence and also just visiting artists.

[music] My name is Tracy Medulla and I am the founder and director of Tempest Projects.

[music] We like to show emerging artists, along with early career artists and mid-career artists and established artists in their careers.

And what that has done for the last 17 years is it's given artists of different places in their career the opportunity to show together, which sometimes acts as a way to elevate what some of the emerging artists are doing, and it also brings a freshness to the approach that some of the more mid-career or established artists do.

Having a place like Tempest gives us all a place to show work and congregate and collaborate with one another.

I feel like it helps to fortify and build a real foundation for what we have here.

The Ybor Arts tour is one day that we do twice a year, where we put together a tour of galleries and artist studios throughout Ybor City.

We work collaboratively with usually between 10 or 12 other stops.

It gets everybody out and sharing and seeing what everyone else is doing.

It's a wonderful opportunity for cross-pollination, and that makes me feel incredibly proud to be part of that network.

[music] - I think Tempest Projects is really vital to the Tampa Bay arts community.

They really provide a platform to support emerging and established artists.

They really create an impact in that it becomes sort of a cultural nexus.

It's a place where people can go, whether they're an arts enthusiast, whether they're an artist, Tempest present, like really cutting edge work that is being produced here locally by artists here in Tampa, but also from the artists in residence, always pushing the boundaries, looking for new partnerships and elevating the level of collaboration that occurs not only in the visual arts, but between all the interdisciplinary arts in the area.

[music] - We currently have two exhibitions up in Tempus Projects.

One of them is titled, "Nothing To See Here," and it is a group of seven artists.

The exhibition deals with topics like secret rituals, work that goes quiet or unnoticed at times.

- I have been showing with Tempest Projects for a little over a decade, almost as long as I've been in Tampa, and it's been a huge driver in terms of my career and my practice.

It's something that's been really important to me.

I've been in a variety of group shows and individual exhibitions here, so it's something that's really helped me sustain a studio practice.

[music] - The other exhibition that we have is a two person show featuring the work from Lisa McCarthy and Wallace Wilson.

The title of that exhibition is, "Awkward Transactions."

[music] This particular exhibition is a collection of works that either Wallace Wilson made independently and Lisa McCarthy reacted to, or that Lisa McCarthy made.

And Wally has a response to.

- It's been an excellent collaboration with Tempest Projects for both Lisa and myself.

You know, I think Tracy's responsible for a lot of the direction of the work that we've we've completed here.

- He and I collaborated on this work, but she collaborates with the community and we feel good about our work because she's such a dynamo in the community.

So it's a win-win, win-win.

[music] - In the Tampa Bay arts community.

We always talk about the rising tide lifts all boats, right?

And so I would say that Tempest Projects is really at the head of that flotilla in terms of bringing people together, bringing other organizations and partnerships together and really serving as a catalyst.

- Being successful at this job is being happy at this job and having the opportunity to work with exciting people and feeling like I'm giving back to the community in a positive and, um, exciting way.

[music] - She's an innovator.

Uh, she's smart, she's open, and really wants to make a difference in the art community.

- And it's highly, highly respected in the community for giving newcomers a chance and also honoring, you know, geyser types like us.

[music]